1871, 1872 – Australia’s first overseas telegraph connection

November 1871 saw the first telegraph cable connecting to Australia in Darwin from Banjoewangi in Java.
On the 22nd August 1872 the Overland Telegraph was connected from Adelaide to Darwin completing the telegraph project by Sir Charles Todd.

Here are a few stories from the OTVA collection to aid the Sesqui-Centenary celebrations on 22nd August 2022, the 150th anniversary of the connection between Adelaide and the outside world through Darwin and Java all the way to England.

OTC celebrated the Centenary of the Cables in 1971 with at least 2 publications

The Overseas Telecommunications Veterans count their time from this first cable landing on the mainland of Australia connecting Australia with the world.

This is our, and other telecommunications professionals heritage, hence there have been many stories over the years in our OTVA Veterans’ Newsletters about this and subsequent telecommunications ventures in Australia and the World. Our members continue the fine tradition of providing new and maintaining Communications systems today.

The OTVA Newsletter has run many stories over the years since 1972 about the Overland Telegraph Cable and the first Cable from Java to Darwin. Here are a few of the recent newsletters that have been following the Sesqui-Centenary anniversary.

• OTVA Newsletter June 2020
  • Sesquicentennial: Commencement of Overland Telegraph
  • Connected in Darwin to The Java – Darwin Cable
  • OTC / C&W “ding” we had in November 1971 OTVA Newsletter Feb 1999 OTVA Newsletter Pages 8 – 10)
• OTVA Newsletter September 2020
  • Overland Telegraph Update – Alice Springs & Battery technology
  • Underseas Cables, Heritage listed in NT
  • Underseas Cables Podcast, by the ABC Nightlife
  • More of the Overland Telegraph and Java to Darwin Cable (1872) story
• OTVA Newsletter December 2020
  • Naming of Alice Springs
• OTVA Newsletter March 2021
  • The Overland Telegraph Line-Telecom Australia booklet
  • An End to Silence
• OTVA Newsletter June 2021
  • The Knuckey Story – The Overland Telegraph Line
• OTVA Newsletter September 2021
  • Java – Darwin Telegraph Cable
• OTVA Newsletter Dec 2021
  • 1871 Java – Port Darwin Cable
  • Overland Telegraph – Defining moments
  • The Epic Cycle Ride – from our OTVA Archives
• OTVA Newsletter March 2022
  • 1971 events in Darwin Ding (Centenary of Java-Darwin Cable)

There is more about the sesqui-centenary in the September 2022 Newsletter, but that’s not published as yet. Stay tuned…

Local Christmas Reunions – 2020

2020 has been a different year, particularly with concerns and restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic altering our day to day and normal activities becoming more cautious.

The usual OTVA Christmas Reunion in Sydney, at Club York has not been held due to concerns with people attending and travelling to the city by public transport.

The OTVA Committee decided to hold local events, where members were willing to organise a get together that would be more easily accessible for those members and friends living nearby or happy to travel to.

Sydney Northern Suburbs Reunion

The first Reunion was held on Friday 27 November by the Sydney Northern Beaches and Suburbs group hosted by Orm Butler. Many of the attendees are pictured below

Back row L – R Dennis Grant, John Hibbard Front row L-R Bill Breeze, David Coutts, Dave Stimpson, Peter Trebeck, Alan Michie, Tom Gruzka, Ken Arnold, Bill Davey, Milton Cale, Tom Neeson, Dean Veverka, Orm Butler, Ernie Wan, George Knowles

Orm wrote: We had the function on Friday, and a good turn up of people. Lots of stories exchanged and memories relived. Photo: Orm Butler.

Thanks for the update Orm.

Sydney Central Christmas Luncheon

The second Reunion was held on Wednesday 2 December by the Sydney Central group hosted by Jim Simpson.

A good reunion with old friends from the former OTC Operations, Engineering, CRS/Maritime & Drawing Office represented at a luncheon at Club Five Dock.

Attendees included:
John Bellingham, Paul Cope, Alex Ebert, Greg Edwards, Mike Elliott, Steve Galbraith, Graham Hansen, Dagmar Perumal, Jim Simpson, Karen Wrenall (ex Telstra, Steve Galbraith’s partner),
Neil Yakalis. Photo: Jim Simpson.

Thanks for the update Jim.

Sydney Southside Christmas Luncheon

The third Reunion was held on Thursday 3 December by the Southern Sydney and the Southern Highlands group hosted by Greg Martyn.

Those OTVA Members from Southern Sydney and the Southern Highlands who attended enjoyed lunch at the By the Bay Cafe in Carss Bush Park south of Sydney. With good company, good food, refreshments while many stories were re-told, the veterans celebrated their company and companionship! A good time was had by all.

Attendees included:
Peter Bull, Mick Callaghan, Ross Smith, Darryl Steer, Ray Pow, Brian Travis, Bill Jolly, Gary Beaton, John Vossen, Tom Barker, Greg Martyn, Robin Tuckfield, Rob Askew, Shaune Walsh, David Izatt, Jules Corben and John Eades. Photo: John Eades.

Report by Greg Martyn.

Tweed Valley – Northern Rivers Christmas Party

John Bennett reports on the intrepid fellows of the Tweed Valley enjoying their Christmas Party despite the torrential rain in the area over the last week.

We had our annual xmas party to day [Wed 16th] at the Riverview Hotel Murwillumbah.

We all enjoyed the afternoon, as it was touch and go, with the flooding only receding in the late morning, enough for us to get through to the Riverview.

We all gave a warm welcome to Phil Wall who is visiting from Sydney. Jim Hulme sent apologies, as he would have come from Brisbane, with road closures a big unknown.

Visitors welcome

Any exotc members who may be visiting the area over the holidays are welcome, call John Bennett for details, if you wish to attend Wednesdays at 12.00pm.

OTVA Tweed Valley Christmas Group, (L-R) David Kidd, Paul Close, Alan West, Bill Newman, Phil Wall [antlers], Steve Marshall, Bob Collins, John Bennett, Gary Samuels. Photo: John Bennett

Photos of the reunions are here

1987 Yacht Race from Hobart to Perth,
in time for the America’s Cup Challenge.

Sailing Against the Roaring 40’s

OTC was invited to sponsor a special yacht race in 1987 to link the Sydney to Hobart annual race to the Americas Cup race in Perth.

Image: Start of the race Hobart to Adelaide. Photo Tom Barker.
The OTVA Newsletter of December 2020, and I expect, the March 2021 edition have 2 stories of this race, how it came about, and it’s organisation, both from a managerial view and that of a Radio Operator on the Race relay ship.

Tom Barker explains the origin of the races.

In 1986, Peter Shore was the Manager of OTC Public Relations and he received a visit from the Commodores of three yacht clubs, The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (RYCT), the Royal Perth Yacht Club (RPYC) and the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (RSAYS).
They told him that as the Americas Cup had been won by the RPYC (famously sponsored by Alan Bond) in 1983 and that club was committed to host races in defence of the trophy in Perth, in January 1987, it would be fitting if a series of ocean yacht races could be conducted after the conclusion of the 1986 Sydney Hobart race, which would culminate in the Defence of the Americas Cup, in Fremantle. These races would be from Hobart to Adelaide, Adelaide to Esperance Bay (WA) and Esperance to Perth.

Don Koulaouzos’s application as Radio Officer on the Radio Relay ship was successful.

As Don says “… I was also appointed as Chief Radio Officer (CRO) and would be on duty for the entire duration of the SOYC. It was hard to contain my absolute glee for the rest of the day with this humbling honour and exciting responsibility.
The other successful Radio Officers (RO) who were to join me for each leg of the race were Brian Morgan, Maryanne Lyneham and Peter Gilkes all of us in our mid 20’s.”

Expect to see their full stories in the Newsletters.

Images of the Southern Ocean Yachting Classic 1987

by Greg Martyn. Newsletter Editor.

Privateer arriving in Perth waters 23-1-1987. Photo: Tom Barker.